2010
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ISSUE
《未得之地》
From the General Director The Apostle Paul began his missionary work in Asia Minor. He and his team of coworkers travelled across the Mediterranean to evangelize people in the region and plant churches in major urban centres. Sometimes he stayed on for a brief period of time to equip the new believers before moving on to other virgin mission territories to preach the gospel. From his letters we can tell that Paul had a strong bond with those he led to Christ and he encouraged them to join him in becoming a missionary force to reach lost souls. Wherever he established churches Paul also built partnerships in the gospel with them. The principle of partnership in the mission field is for like-minded mission partners to work together to realize the same vision and achieve the common goal according to the plans and purposes of God in that generation. As missionaries and churches work together, they encourage one another, pray for one another, share the joy and face the challenges in the mission of telling the world about Jesus, one person at a time. Paul’s visit to the leading city of Philippi in Acts 16 is a story of sharing the gospel with Lydia and the women meeting by the river, as well as with the jailer and his family. It is also a beautiful story of mission partnership, because Lydia, the jailer and others with them shared Paul’s joy and suffering in preaching the gospel from the first day and through the difficult times of Paul’s missionary journey later on.
INSIDE The Journey of Pursuing Dreams ~Min Yin Mission — Church’s UnfinishedTask ~Anita Pan European Chinese Churches and COCM ~Harryono Judodihardjo Ministry news
When Pastor Stephen Wang began his ministry among the overseas Chinese in 1950, there were no Chinese Churches or fellowship groups in all of Europe. So he travelled from place to place as an itinerant missionary to share the good news of Jesus Christ with the Chinese diasporas. Over time individuals came to Christ and were equipped to serve others. As they were encouraged to gather together, fellowship groups were formed and churches were planted. Over the years, COCM missionaries have continued the work to plow the virgin mission field in continental Europe and the UK, one area at a time. As we are approaching our mission’s 60th anniversary, we see a great number of Chinese churches and fellowship groups spreading across Europe. Many have grown to be spiritually strong and mission minded. As we move forward with our strategic focus on specific target people groups in the mission field, we need to encourage the support and partnership of those we have helped before and which are now ready to work with us in mission. I pray that God will lead us and grant us opportunities to strengthen our bond with churches throughout Europe and build partnerships with like-minded churches. Together may we reach Europe and the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rev. Henry Lu
神恩澤僑胞 福音遍全歐
Reaching the Chinese to Reach Europe
《未得之地》
Encouraging plan
�e Journey of Pursuing Dreams When I first set foot in England back in September 2006, “How, then, can they call on the one they I never would have thought that God would lead me on to a have not believed in? And how can they path of dream pursuing other than the one I have imagined. believe in the one of whom they have not Praised to the Lord, I accepted Jesus Christ in October, 2006 heard? And how can they hear without at Nottingham’s local church (it was my second month in someone preaching to them? And how can England.) Besides going to Sunday worship, I was warmly they preach unless they are sent?” invited by the brothers and sisters to join a Chinese student fellowship. I would never forget the first time being in the fellowship; as a new believer, I was scared by the topics “the debt of gospel” and “widely spreading the gospel” as they were being discussed.
However, as time went by, I gradually began to practice church life and spiritual devotion, in which the truth of God was slowly becoming clear and revealed to me. I truly experienced the inner peace and joy of being a Christian. Our fellowship was led by sister Grace Li, a missionary sent by COCM to work at Nottingham, thus I had a chance to participate in the Chinese student gospel camp held by COCM. There, I got to meet many pastors, brothers and sisters from different places. By sharing with them, I discovered the transformation that took place in many young students by accepting the gospel. My understanding of God’s will towards lost souls was deepened. I was able to see a broader blue print of God’s kingdom, and my vision was unveiled. Because of this experience, I firmly lifted up my hand and was not afraid when the speaker called out to people to follow Jesus during the camp. In the beginning of 2008, embracing the conviction of following Jesus, I went back to China and started to work. The reality and life changes blurred the vision that I previously had in the camp. I underestimated the difficulty of following Jesus in practice; talking was much easier than acting. Following Jesus is indeed not an easy but a narrow walk of path. But just as God himself has promised “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) The more severe the condition is the more boundless will be the grace that God gives to those who love him. God had prepared for me a church which offers genuine teachings. With the supports of brothers and sisters through their prayers, I was able to be strengthened by the word of God and endured many hardships. While in China, I frequently received letters from Rev Henry Lu and his wife. They encouraged me to participate in church service more actively. They also prayed that if it is God’s will, He will open the door for me to come back to England and even
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Min Yin join the team of young army in mission. At the time when I read such words, I would laugh to myself as I thought “Going back to England is just a beautiful dream.” But our God is delighted in fulfilling dreams beyond my imagination. I smoothly received a scholarship in July 2008. In September of the same year, I came back to England to continue my education. From the moment I landed in England, my heart could not stop wondering “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” –Ephesians 3:20 Studying at a university in the city center of London, I gained many opportunities to contact people from all over the world. God brought me to a Chinese church at the suburb this time. From there, I had many opportunities to get involved in church ministries. Serving in student fellowship was my first task. Due to lack of connections to the students at the University of Westminster near our church, there had been no students attending our church for a long time. Therefore, it was very hard to open the door to share the gospel with them. After constantly meeting and praying for about one year, God then miraculously brought in a sister, through whom the gospel door to university campus was opened. Meanwhile, I joined the ministry going to visit the dentention centre and share the gospel with the Chinese detainees. I even gained the opportunities to take short term mission trips to Israel and Berlin. I have seen the greater needs from the battle front through serving with local Chinese church. But then I also felt limited by my deficiency in God’s Word and truth. I happened to know that COCM offered extension courses on Saturdays at London city. Then, I registered to take the courses. I have learned so much and rooted more firmly in God’s Word. From time to time, COCM will hold reunion for Chinese church and fellowship co-workers from all over the UK; they would come together sharing testimonies, visions, and also praying for each other. I have gained so much through these sharing and have applied some of the experiences in my services. In the process of studying the Word of God and participating in different services, I have encountered many different people. Slowly, there was a burden in the bottom of my heart that gets clearer and stronger. As Paul says in the book of Romans 10:14-15 “How, then, can they call on the one
’s River Jordan during church Baptism of two sisters in the t) righ the from nd r, seco STM trip to Israel. (Autho
they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent?” Also as the scripture says “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Since that, I have once again come to the Lord, offering all my life to follow him. It is different from last time when I merely made the decision in my mind; this time my heart was without fear, fully recognised what an honour and glory it would be to serve the almighty Creator. Now, I am still in England, travelling on the path of dream pursuing; but the dream I am going after is the one God has placed within me—that is one day to “go and make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28:19)
Church orga zined day tr ip for the st University udents at th of Westmin e ster to visit the Winsor Castle
Back home during the Chinese New year in 2010, with brothers and sisters at a church in Shanghai.
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《未得之地》
Encouraging plan
Mission —Church’s Un�nished Task
Church growth not only requires vision-sharing by leaders, but also needs a plan for discipleship, so that believers would have the ability to spread the gospel and to be witnesses.
At the beginning of this year, Glasgow Chinese Christian Church celebrated its 40th anniversary. While reflecting with nostalgia over GCCC’s path, we are also looking to the future. During the past 40 years, our church has had a very close relationship with COCM. When GCCC was first established, the Lord’s servant Pastor Stephen Wang and other co-workers came to visit us. Also, the retired missionary Auntie Betty Mair from Aberdeen came to greet our sisters who were working as nurses and in restaurants. In addition, Pastor Frank Cheung from Birmingham with his team also came to Scotland to help our church ministries. I met Pastor Pan at one of COCM’s intensive summer gospel mission training. Every summer since 1977, while I was editor for COCM Link, Pastor Pan and I both attended summer gospel mission trips. Led by Pastor Cheung and his wife, we made separate trips to major cities in Sweden, France, Germany, Denmark, and Ireland, setting out from Amsterdam. Gospel meeting locations were established which later developed into many fellowships and churches, as is the situation now. I got married in 1981 and relocated to Glasgow. GCCC was initially developed from a fellowship formed by a group of nurses and students. As the number of students grew, they not only shared the gospel with students, they also reached out to the local people who were restaurant workers. In order to build a good relationship with them, students from the fellowship established a children’s choir to teach their children Chinese and told Bible stories along the way. Some also taught women English, and later went on to study the Bible with them. Eventually, night time gospel meetings were held. As the congregation grew, the co-workers began to see the needs for a church building. After much prayer, they bought the church building at the current location of 2 Melrose Street. Church growth not only requires vision-sharing by leaders, but also needs a plan for discipleship, so that believers would have the ability to spread the gospel and to be witnesses. Through many years of development, our Cantonese congregation, in which the brothers and sisters
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Anita Pan
are mostly restaurant workers, has become the main pillar of this church. 3 years ago, GCCC converted the Cantonese fellowship into cell groups operating in 8 different locations at a time. The cell group leader’s responsibility is to take care of the members in his or her group. The members reach out to their families and friends, so life is influencing life. Our Mandarin ministry to the scholars from mainland China has continued to thrive. COCM contacted the Overseas Campus Ministries two years ago, and Professor Gong and his wife were sent to us. Experienced in student ministry, they endeavor to do discipleship training systematically. Not only that, they also help the Mandarin ministry to launch out into Glasgow’s university campuses. So far, they have opened up two Bible study groups in Paisley and Strathclyde. The campus evangelism in Glasgow is slowly advancing. The English congregation is formed by college students from South East Asia and local youth; they are overseen by the pastor. They are mostly young and from different cultural backgrounds, and they are learning from each other and sharing their experiences. For the past few years they had been invited to serve the youth at a summer conference in Sweden. In the midst of organizing the mission trip, they learned how to preach the gospel, how to raise funds and make arrangement for travel. As they serve in the church, they are growing, and gradually understanding God’s calling and vision for them. Also the brothers and sisters in the restaurant gospel ministry organize several gospel meetings and outreach with other fellowships and churches every year in spring and summer. All the church members are mobilized to distribute flyers and hold gospel meetings for the target communities; every year we reap a harvest from this. At the same time, the work of long term missionaries sent from Overseas Campus Ministries is much more effective than that of short-termers.
Looking back the church’s growth in the past, COCM has been walking with GCCC shoulder by shoulder. Whether it is in the arrangement of sermon speakers, guest speakers, missionary contacts or coordination, COCM has been a great support. In return, GCCC is gradually maturing; it consistently participates in all areas of COCM ministries. Pastor Pan has engaged as a COCM Council member, supporting COCM in various aspects, especially helping to care for the COCM missionaries in Scotland. He even encouraged coworkers from GCCC to join in; of course, a better result will be shown by involving many brothers and sisters to participate in mission. Thus, manpower can be shared and other resources can be concentrated. This is a successful evangelism model, which demonstrates a work of unity and partnership. Looking at the future of mission work, we see a tremendous opportunity for growth. Let us give thoughts to the following issues: 1.How to encourage the church to build up a systematic mission work, from its local area to enter God’s kingdom’s operation, and then to send out missionaries? 2.Church youth are living among various races, cultural and language environments. How does the church help them to overcome the gap between different cultures? How to help them to accept friends and colleagues from different backgrounds and religions? 3.In the rapid changing environment, living in this “global village”, we do not necessarily need to go far to reach the other side of the world. In fact, it is right in front of us. We need to redefine the meaning of mission work nowadays. We also need to recognize where our mission field is in the eyes of God, so that we can commit ourselves to it. 4. In this informed, technology-savvy, volatile generation, what role will COCM play to partner with the churches?
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《未得之地》
Encouraging plan
European Chinese Churches and COCM Dr. Harryono Judodihardjo
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: 10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. I first came to the UK in 1985 and by the grace of God I was introduced to the Belfast Chinese Christian Fellowship or BCCF (the name then!) in 1986. I was already a Christian but just a young one. I remembered that we had no pastors at that time and had to rely on local churches and COCM to supply the speakers for our Sunday sermons. The relationship between BCCF and COCM was a very close one. In 1995 I moved to Cardiff and joined the Cardiff Chinese Christian Church (CCCC). Historically CCCC was also established with the help of COCM. Therefore there is still a great feeling of fondness and gratitude from the CCCC leaders towards COCM. We still maintain a close relationship and try to work together as much as we can.
Easter Retreat 20
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About 10 years ago God blessed the CCCC so much that the congregation number grew to such a high level that another pastor was needed. After negotiation with COCM, Rev Dick Lee, who was assigned by the COCM to work in the “Second Generation Ministry”, was partly seconded to CCCC to start an English speaking congregation. These ‘BBCs’ are the young, English speaking Chinese who were born or brought up in Britain. CCCC in particular had benefited greatly from Rev Lee’s work as he was seconded on a part-time basis to Cardiff for a few years. He did a great job, and even after he had left for the USA the youth leaders he had trained up were able to continue the ministry confidently. Recently Rev. William Lo, who was also an ex-staff of COCM, came to be the current pastor for the CCCC English speaking congregation. COCM currently holds regular youth camps such as the PHAT camp that will continue to encourage and equip youth leaders. Many youth leaders from CCCC have gone through the PHAT camp and benefited from it. In the near
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Church retreat of Cardiff Chinese Christian Church
future I hope COCM will take the next step to organise many short-term mission trips for these young people. The CCCC Mandarin speaking congregation was started by Rev Sam Wong a few years ago. The CCCC had benefited from some of the activities that COCM had organised such as the COCM Bible college extension programme and some retreats. The COCM book room is also a good resource to order Chinese Bibles and other reading materials. In the past few years, CCCC had also worked with COCM to let one of the Bible College students be an intern in the church. This is beneficial for both parties, as the student helps with the church activities and COCM is able to let the student have more exposure to real Chinese church work. The Cantonese speaking congregation also works closely with the COCM and many of the brothers and sisters took the TEE study programme and occasionally COCM staffs were asked to speak in the church services or be the main speakers for the annual Easter conferences. The majority of European Chinese Churches (ECC) pastors or “full-time workers� work alone in their churches. Most pastors are great people whom God uses, but they are still human! Spiritual feeding and support are needed even for pastors and church leaders. COCM used to conduct the inter-fellowship consultation annually so that leaders from different ECCs can come together for fellowship, prayers and strategic planning. I think this meeting can be a great encouragement to the leaders where they can share their problems and also the wonderful things that God is doing in other ECCs.
In the past there were no Chinese Churches in Europe and COCM did a great job in helping to establish so many ECCs. While this work may need to continue, in my opinion COCM can play a great role in uniting and equipping the ECCs. The Lord God has blessed the COCM with a fantastic building in Milton Keynes that should be seen by the ECCs as the hub for alliance. The COCM must not forget or neglect the ECCs and in the same way the ECCs must also not forget the COCM. As the older generation is withdrawing from church services it is important that the special relationship between ECCs and the COCM be continued by the new generations of church leaders. May God continue to bless our ministries together in Europe!
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d his family at ord
Rev. William Lo an
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Ministry news During the Easter Holiday, COCM organized and supported several camps around Europe. The first one was the Scotland Mandarin Easter Conference which was held from 2nd - 6th April. Right after that, the speaker and COCM staff workers moved down south to prepare for the South England Mandarin Easter Conference that started on 9th April. The theme of this year is ‘Encounter Christ and Grow’. The main speaker, Dr. David Liang, was a high ranking official at the Canadian Department of National Defense before his retirement. He not only defended the creditability of Christianity based on scientific evidence, but also shared with the students the inconceivable love of Christ that satisfies the needs of heart and soul. COCM co-workers teamed up to run a number of workshops that focused on spiritual growth in Christ. Over 130 Christians and nonChristians attended the two conferences, most of whom are university students. Among them, 7 made the decision to follow Christ, and a few more expressed interest to continue seeking the truth. In addition to these Mandarin conferences, many COCM staff workers also served in various Cantonese and English Easter conferences throughout the UK and Europe, helping believers to take root in God’s Word and grow in Christ.
HEADQUARTERS General Director: Rev Henry Lu 2 Padstow Avenue Fishermead Milton Keynes MK6 2ES England UK Tel：+44-(0)1908-234-100
ter Conference land Mandarin Eas COCM South Eng
Fax：+44-(0)1908-234-200 E-mail：cocm@cocm.org.uk Web Site：www.cocm.org.uk
HONG KONG OFFICE Rev Tang Chi-Ming Rm522, Metro Centre II, 21 Lam Hing Street, Kowloon Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Tel：+852-2549-5288 Fax：+852-2549-5155 E-mail：cocmhk@cocm.org.hk
COCM Scotland Mandarin Easter Conference
Web Site：www.cocm.org.hk Chairman: Rev Cham Nai-Bun
MALAYSIA OFFICE Mr David Liew Unit 697-2-2, Desa Kiara, Jalan Damansara, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tel：+60-(0)3-7954-5884 E-mail：davidckliew@gmail.com cocmmsia@gmail.com Web Site：www.cocmsea.org Chairman：Mr Bryan Lee
rence ndarin Easter Confe North England Ma
SINGAPORE BOARD Chairman：Mr Alan Wong 420 North Bridge Road #05-07 North Bridge Centre Singapore 188727 Tel：+65-6466-7678 E-mail：cocmspore@gmail.com davidckliew@gmail.com Web Site：www.cocmsea.org
USA BOARD Chairman：Rev Daniel Chan c/o Lily Chuang 38 Stonegate Drive Wethersfield CT 06109, USA Tel：+1-860-257-3986 E-mail：info@cocmusa.org Web Site：www.cocmusa.org
CANADA VANCOUVER BOARD Chairman: Mr Lawrence Chen
South England Easter Conference
COCM Bible College Graduation Ceremony
P.O. Box 32528, Richmond, B.C. V6X 3S1 CANADA Tel：+1-778-591-0109 E-mail：lrlchen@telus.net Web Site：www.cocmcanada.org
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The COCM Bible College graduation ceremony will take place on Saturday, July 2010. During the graduation week, the Bible College will have a series of lectures on Biblical Spirituality. The speaker is Dr. Herrick Ping-Tong Liu, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology of Hong Kong Alliance Bible Seminary. The schedule is as follows:
Editorial Committee： Rev Henry Lu．Ling Lu．Min Yin． Yu-Mei Wu
Translators： Yun Ku．Connie Yu COCM Link is a bi-monthly publication reporting on the work among Chinese in the UK and Europe, free upon request. We welcome you to visit our website at
www.cocm.org.uk
Published by the: Chinese Overseas Christian Mission. Registered Charity No: 232651